Ipswich boss George Burley condemned referee Rob Styles for the "joke" penalty decision which left his side on the brink of relegation and kept Manchester United's title hopes alive.

Arsenal must still pick up five points to win the Premiership even after Liverpool's defeat at Tottenham as Ruud van Nistelrooy's spot-kick kept a weakened United side in the title hunt.

However, there was more than an element of controversy in the highly-debatable decision by Styles to penalise Titus Bramble for pushing the Dutchman.

Burley was left fuming at the referee, although he just stopped short of labelling van Nistelrooy a diver even if he did accuse him of going down looking for a penalty.

The Ipswich boss, whose side must win at Anfield in their final game while Sunderland lose at home to Derby to stay up, declared: "It was a joke decision and it's cost us the game.

"Van Nistelrooy has gone down looking for it - no doubt about that - and the referee has been sucked in.

"At the time, I thought there was no contact and I've watched it numerous times since and there is still no contact.

"When experienced players dive in there, they're going to go down so you can't blame van Nistelrooy for that.

"But we've got professional referees and they've got to be sure of important decisions like that one. He's got it totally wrong.

"The first half was fairly even but when the referee gives them a goal, which he did, it makes it very difficult.

"There were one or two incidents in the second-half that were maybe clearer but I suppose he was consistent - as he didn't give us anything."

While Bramble also insisted he made no contact, team-mate Martijn Reuser added: "I was a bit angry with Ruud and I said some things to him in Dutch, although I would probably have done the same thing myself."

Sir Alex Ferguson, who rested several key United players ahead of Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayer Leverkusen, predictably backed Styles' decision.

He told Sky Sports: "I did jump up because I thought it was a penalty."

Ferguson had virtually written off his side's title hopes on the eve of the game at Portman Road, but his latest tactic was to publicly place his trust in Bolton boss Sam Allardyce to give Arsenal a title fright on Monday.

If the Gunners slip up at Bolton, then a United victory in their showdown with Arsene Wenger's side at Old Trafford on May 8 could put them back into pole position.

Ferguson added: "Anything can happen. We had to ride our luck but we had to have strong characters and I'm very pleased with our result, even though it's hard to imagine Arsenal are going to lose.

"With Liverpool losing we've done well today, but the last two minutes were nerve-wracking.

"Bolton may be more relaxed now. I know Sam Allardyce as a person and they'll do their best.

"If Bolton get something there won't have been a bigger game in the last 10 years of football than Manchester United versus Arsenal."